P48: Underreporting of suicide in old age: accident or self-harm? Angela’s case

Abstract

Abstract:

Deaths from suicide often incur a misclassification. Suicide is in fact subject to stigma and shame; in some countries it is even criminalized. Furthermore, there are situations in which the intentionality of the suicidal behavior is really equivocal or there was a desire to disguise the death by suicide, for example for insurance reasons. In many cases, it can be difficult to ascertain if death was due to a deliberate act (such as not taking life-saving medication or overdosing on them; an accident or a voluntary fall, etc.). Suicide deaths involving older adults are particularly prone to under-reporting. The advanced age of the deceased may imply less investigative interest than a death in childhood or from medical complications. In addition, there are cases in which it is really difficult to classify the type of death. The following story may underline such a difficulty.

Angela was 81 years old. A childless widow, sufficiently independent, was a guest in a nursing home for about a year; she was there - she said - mainly to fight her loneliness. However, in the nursing home she felt even lonelier than at home.

Her house was sold shortly before entering her residence. She felt very frightened by the pandemic, which she followed for long hours on television: she had begun to say aloud that she didn't want to be intubated, and that there was no more oxygen for anyone anyway. Everybody would have died soon. She was given sedatives to calm her down, but in one occasion a nurse saw her holding the pills in her mouth and then spitting them down the toilet. Her roommate got sick and was taken away. Angela kept asking about her, receiving no answer. She was noticed having difficulties falling asleep and although she showed no signs of infection or disease, she was heard saying that her days were over. One day, she told the nurse that she had finally figured out what to do. A few days later, she was found dead during lunchtime, apparently suffocating on a piece of turkey.